-RBA *Minnesota *Detroit Lakes *April 7, 2016 *MNDL1604.07-Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota, Detroit Lakes
Date: April 7, 2016
Sponsor: Lakes Area Birding Club, Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce
Reports: 1-800-542-3992 (weekdays during business hours)
Compiler: Jeanie Joppru ([log in to unmask])
This is the Northwest Minnesota Birding Report for Thursday, April 7, 2016 sponsored by the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce. You may also hear this report by calling (218)847-5743 or 1-800-433-1888.
The birds seem to think spring is coming, but the weather doesn't match. We are getting cold, windy days and even colder nights in the northwest. Some places are even getting snow in inches. In Thief River Falls, the snow has gone every day, replaced by more most nights. Hundreds of AMERICAN ROBINS and COMMON GRACKLES have arrived this week, and large numbers of DARK-EYED JUNCOS are still here. Very few sparrows are here yet, but some have been seen in sheltered areas.
From Otter Tail County this week, Alice Martin reported HOODED MERGANSER, COMMON MERGANSER, TRUMPETER SWAN, WILD TURKEY, NORTHERN HARRIER, RED-TAILED HAWK, SANDHILL CRANE, MOURNING DOVE, EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE, PURPLE FINCH, and COMMON REDPOLL.
Joel Groebner reported that the first COMMON LOON was seen on Mary Lake at Itasca State Park on April 2.
From Polk County, Sandy Aubol reported that the impoundments still hold a few COMMON MERGANSERS. In East Grand Forks, she reported BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD and YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER on April 5; on the 6th, she saw PURPLE FINCH and HERMIT THRUSH along the Red Lake River Greenway. Other species seen in the area included BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS, BROWN CREEPER, FOX SPARROW, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, and COMMON REDPOLL.
In Pennington County , we have a HOODED MERGANSER pair apparently nesting in our neighbor's duck box, and several WOOD DUCKS are being seen on the Red Lake River.
Beth Siverhus observed a TURKEEY VULTURE in western Itasca County this week.
In Roseau County, she reported HOODED MERGANSER, COMMON GOLDENEYE, BALD EAGLE, RUFFED GROUSE, BROWN CREEPER, and PURPLE FINCH.
Lake of the Woods sightings by Beth Siverhus included TRUMPETER SWAN, SHARP-TAILED GROUSE, many ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS on CR 3, and NORTHERN HARRIER.
Thanks to Alice Martin, Beth Siverhus, Joel Groebner, and Sandy Aubol for their reports.
Please report bird sightings to Jeanie Joppru by email, no later than Thursday each week, at [log in to unmask] OR call the Detroit Lakes Chamber's toll free number: 1-800-542-3992. Detroit Lakes area birders please call 847-9202. Please include the county where the sighting took place. The next scheduled update of this report is Thursday, April 14, 2016.